Students Vote at NVSS

Over 90,000 students across B.C. are participating in the Student Vote program. This allows underage students to learn about the election process and to hopefully become engaged with the process of government.

Just before election day, Chris Mushumanski’s social studies class at NVSS learned about the voting process Monday, May 13.

“In Socials 11 we talk about government and elections and the process of democracy and this really makes it come alive,” said Chris. “For students to be able to see first hand how the election works and to have choices that are real, you can’t beat that.”

The hope is that if students are engaged in voting early on will be more likely to vote as adults. Students in the Nechako Lakes riding elected John Rustad of the Liberal Party, the same as voters in the real election.

Of the 499 total votes in the Nechako Lakes riding, 33 per cent of them went to Rustad and a surprising 25 per cent went to the Green Party’s Colin Hamm.

But the NDP was the party most favoured by the Student Vote of B.C. Capturing 38 per cent of the popular vote followed by the Liberals at 28 per cent and the Green Party at 17 per cent. If the students had been the only ones allowed to vote, the province would be under much different leadership.

Voter participation in the classroom is just the same as in B.C. according to Chris. “You get some who are quite passionate about politics and change and some who are not quite there yet.”